“In our hospital, the goal is to work with youth like a coach, to reconnect them with their school, family, friends, so they can move beyond our care,” Barnes said at the app launch event last week. “When we first proposed this app, we didn’t know if anyone would relate to the idea or where it would go.”

To the surprise of Barnes and clinical lead Lauren Fox, teens in the focus study were enthusiastic about the idea of an app to assist them in their recovery. They wanted a companion, Barnes said, and they wanted it to provide symptom tracking over time, crisis contacts and medication notifications.

Dr. Abraham Rudnick, medical director with Island Health’s mental health and substance use services, said mental health disorders have become the second highest reason for youth admission at Canadian hospitals.